Supervisors set secondary property tax rates

The Pima County Board of Supervisors in their June 21 meeting in separate votes approved the secondary property tax rates for the county’s debt service and for the County Library and Regional Flood Control districts for Fiscal Year 2017.

The property tax rates for debt service (approved 5-0) and the Library district (approved 4-1, with Supervisor Ally Miller voting no) remained unchanged from the current fiscal year and the board increased the Flood Control District tax rate by 2 cents per $100 of net taxable value (approved 4-1, with Supervisor Miller voting no). The board also set the final budgets for the Stadium District, which funds Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium and the Kino Sports Complex (approved 4-1, with Supervisor Miller voting no) and for various improvement and street lighting districts (approved 5-0).

The Board will vote July 5 on final county budget adoption and the primary property tax rate. The board set tentative budgets and tax rates for debt and the special taxing districts in May but didn’t come to a decision on the tentative overall county budget and primary property tax rate. The board set the tentative overall county budget ceiling and primary property tax rate June 7 and state laws governing public hearing notices requires the board to vote on those items next month. The fiscal year begins July 1.

The Regional Flood Control District tax rate increase will be used to pay for increased costs maintaining county waterways. State legislation required the formation of county flood control districts in 1978. The district is responsible for minimizing flood and erosion damage for county residents and property owners.

Supervisors noted that the Stadium District next year will pay off the debt incurred to construct Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium and the Kino Sports Complex. The debt is paid for via a car rental surcharge and a recreational vehicle space surcharge. Built in 1998 to be a Major League Baseball spring training site, the complex is now a multi-use facility used year round to host sports tournaments and events.